“Kingu…”
He cut her off. “And I already told you I don’t a soul, so I cannot be your soul mate. It’s impossible for many other reasons as well, if you want a more detailed list.” He nodded. “The first being that Gaia wouldn’t send me any kind blessing. I’m not part her Divine plan, so she’s forsaken me.”
“Isn’t the whole point of a Divine plan that stuff can’t fall outside of it? By definition, everything has to be part of the whole, including you.”
“No, I’m not. And even if I was, no higher god would send someone like you into my clutches. Not even they are that cruel.”
“God, I love being in your clutches. How many orgasms did I have at your nefarious hands this morning? Three?”
“Four.” The correction was immediate, just as Hope knew it would be.
“Really? I could’ve sworn it was three.” She lied. “Maybe you still owe me one.”
Red eyes narrowed. “You are teasing me, but the fact remains that I stole you.”
“Yes, you did.” Hope liked remembering that part. “You walked into the arena and just told the Banished Phases you were taking me.” It had been sooo romantic.
“No, I stole you from another man. Your soul mate.”
“You think so, huh?”
“Yes.” He looked at her and Hope knew he believed right down to his “missing” soul.
What a dope.
“Well, I guess if you’re so sure, we should stop this, then.” Hope leaned back from him, putting distance between them. “I don’t think anyone but my soul mate should touch me, do you? He’s probably kind of jealous. You can’t blame him, really. You sure wouldn’t want another man seeing me naked, if I were yours.”
Kingu didn’t like that logic. “You are mine.”
“Apparently, I’m not.” Hope shrugged unhappily and got to her feet, taking care to rub against his erection as she stood. She almost grinned when his gigantic body jolted. God she loved how big he was… and how easy it was to tease him. “Sorry. It’s this whole thing where I’m just a present for some lucky, tortured guy. I only belong to my soul mate.”
“No.” The snarled word was in direct contradiction to everything he’d just said, but he didn’t seem to care. Warriors weren’t a logical breed sometimes. Kingu forgot to be depressed about his lack destiny or braced for rejection. He stabbed finger at her, looking pissed. “You only belong to me.”
Poor monster. It was almost too easy.
Hope sashayed out of the room, ignoring his scowl. “I just hope my soul mate gets through with all his suffering and gets here soon, because I’m sooo hot and achy. I need his hands on my body. Pushing into me --hard and fast-- and feeling me explode around him…”
“Fucking hell.” Kingu stormed after her. “Hope, I swear to every god in the world, if another man touches you, I will destroy him and every single person he’s ever fucking met. He has not known suffering until he tries to put his hands on you.”
“Oh… look, now you’re upset. Well, we’ll talk about it later.” She headed up the stairs. “I’ll be in my room.”
“What? No! Shit.” Footsteps thudded behind her. “Do not go in there, again. I can’t follow you into your bedroom and you know it!”
“Well, you could.” Hope paused right in front of the open door and turned to look back at him. “You don’t even have to ask, monster. I’ll let you into… anyplace.”
He loomed over her, breathing hard. “You’re doing this deliberately.” He accused. “You think it’s funny that I want you this much?”
“No. But, I think it’s funny that you think I’d ever want anyone else.” Hope stepped backwards over the threshold and nearly grinned at his sound of extreme frustration. She stood just on the other side of the doorway and wondered how she could get him to follow. He had to take her right now, if he was going to exorcize the ghost of her “other” soul mate. He had to see that she’d let him. It was the only way he’d ever have any confidence. “I need release sooo badly and, if I can’t have my soul mate, I guess I’ll just have to do it myself.”
“I will do it for you.” His eyes were heavy. “You came four times this morning when I was holding you.”
“Three.”
“Four.” It was a growl.
“Well, whichever, if you’re not my soul mate, it would be wrong to let you do that, again. My body is his and I doubt he’d want to share it. I have a feeling he’s possessive.” She pulled her sweater over her head and tossed it to the floor. Her nipples jutted out from the scandalous bra he’d created for her. “The next time I come, it’ll be for him. Every time I come it’s for him.”
Kingu’s fist put a hole in the wall. “You sure as hell weren’t thinking about him this morning, because you were screaming my godsdamn name!”
He was still not getting it.
Hope pulled out the big guns. “Oh, I was thinking about him. Believe me.”
Kingu’s expression darkened, his voice going strangely calm. “You were, huh?”
“Yep.” Hope hopped up on the mattress and expectantly toed off her sneakers. This wouldn’t take long.
His jaw ticked and he leaned a shoulder against the door jam. “Come out of the room, Hope.”
Hope hid her victorious grin and unfastened her earrings, tossing them onto the nightstand. “Sorry. I have to sit here and think about my soul mate while I touch myself in naughty ways. You could probably watch. He might not mind that too much.”
The toe of his shoe was maybe three centimeters from her bedroom carpet. “Come out of there, now.”
Hope’s blood thickened at the quiet warning. She could see how aroused his was and her defiance was making it worse. Warriors loved to punish defiance. He’d stopped yelling and was now intent on gaining her surrender. Hope nearly purred with anticipation.
“Come in here and get me.” She sat in the middle of the bed and waited. “I’ll warn you, though, I’m very in love with my soul mate and I won’t accept anyone else.”
That did it.
The idea that she would give body to another man enraged him, but it was nothing like the wrath she saw now. Hearing Hope say she loved her soul mate sent Kingu careening right over the edge. She saw his eyes narrow and every muscle in him body tighten. Then, he was shoving away from the doorframe and stalking into the room after her.
Hope’s mind made a jackpot sound.
She watched, unafraid, as he prowled into her bedchamber and stopped by the foot of the mattress. “Why, Kingu, I do believe you’re in my room…”
The rest of her words ended in a squeak as he grabbed her ankle, the one with the plastic cuff, and yanked her towards him.
The fabric of her skirt slid up her around her thighs as he dragged her across the mattress. Hope’s palms automatically came up to grip the bedclothes, steadying herself as he took command of her body. He shoved her legs apart, grabbed the edge of her lacy underwear and just ripped them off of her.
He really liked doing that.
He wasn’t gentle. Not at all. He didn’t hurt her, but his hands were rough and demanding. Claiming her. Not like exploring or foreplay, but like he was going to mark her as his.
Hope’s eyes went wide. Big hands found her core and she cried out. The folds of her body instantly became hot and wet, screaming for his attention.
Relief flashed across Kingu’s savage face, quickly followed by triumph. He loomed over her, out of control with the force of his arousal. “Are you thinking of him, now?”
“Yep.” There was a challenge in her tone and he went positively caveman on her in response.
Hope wasn’t sure how he managed it, but Kingu caught her arms and dragged them above her head. One massive hand held both of her wrists and the other unfastened his belt. The next thing she knew, he was looping the belt over one of the massive bedposts and securing her to it. Kingu was looming over her, huge and shadowed, and she nearly came right there.
“Oh God.” Hope gave an experimental tug
and found her wrists fastened tightly. “Oh wow.” Her eyes went to Kingu, again. She was panting, now. Visions of monsters and their helpless victims making her crazy with desire. Even with her limited experience, Hope knew he was doing this exactly like any Fire Phase would want: Dominant and sort of fun.
At least, Hope thought it was fun. Kingu looked deadly serious.
His palms covered her whole body in a wide sweep. The texture of them felt deliciously rough and they quickly shredded the delicate fabric of her bra. That was the fanciest underwear she’d ever owned. Hope felt almost bad to see the pretty black lace shredded right down the center.
Almost.
“Kingu?” Her voice was breathless as he sat back and surveyed his work. Her body was naked except for the bunched skirt and that made Hope feel even wickeder than if she’d been completely bare.
Crimson eyes missed nothing, studying her like she was a dessert he planned to devour. Like he’d never seen a naked female before and she was hypnotizing him. Kingu’s focus locked onto her breasts. Hope’s teeth bit down on her lower lip and she tried to stifle a moan. Large hands rasped over her nipples as if transfixed when they tightened even more. Palms cupped them, squeezing them, memorizing their weight.
Hope sighed dreamily as bent down to lick the hollow between the soft globes. Kingu seemed happy to touch her curves and God knew she was happy to let him, but still… “Do you want to talk about this soul mate thing, first? Because I think you have some kind of –like-- pathological denial happening… Oh dear.” His teeth nipped and she jolted. Concentrate. Must concentrate. “Ummm, if you’re only doing this because you’re upset, there’s no need to be. If you’d listen, I keep telling you…”
“I’m doing this because you’re mine, Hope.” His fingers caught in her blonde curls, forcing her eyes to meet his as he lowered his head. He found her nipple, sucking it into his mouth and fire raced through her nerve endings. “I will take you right in front of your soul mate if that’s what it takes to prove it. We’ll see how he likes it when you come against my goddamn mouth.”
“Oh, I think he’ll really like that, actually.” And it was probably really, really dirty to love the sudden fantasy of some imaginary weakling of an extraneous soul mate helplessly watching as her monster claimed her right in front of him. Kingu’s teeth nipped and Hope almost came. “Oh, Kingu, please.” She twisted, trying to rub her body against him and alleviate the pressure. It didn’t work.
Kingu had one foot on the floor, his other knee beside her on the bed. The size of him silhouetted above her just made her hotter, but it also meant that she couldn’t get close enough to him.
“Wrong answer.” His head left her breasts and moved lower.
“Kingu.” It was impossible to keep her voice steady. “Seriously, what part of ‘you’re my soul mate’ is so hard too…?” She screamed as his mouth found the molten core of her. “Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.” Hope threw her head back. The leather belt holding her arms pulled tight as she arched towards the hot, wet suction of his mouth. “Don’t stop. Holy friggin’ shit, don’t stop!” She didn’t even hear the rest of the elaborate, Fire House curses that she chanted, but they were crazed enough to have her booted from the swearing contest forever.
Kingu lifted his head to stare at her face for a beat and his mouth kicked up at one corner. His eyes were cloudy with need, but for some reason he found her language amusing. She could tell.
“How could you think I would ever share you?” He murmured. He gripped her hips in an even firmer hold and lifted her at a new, devastating angle. He lowered his face again and Hope lost all concept of everything beyond the sensation of his tongue.
Something was swelling inside her, bigger than just an orgasm. Something trying to burn its way free and latch onto Kingu for all she was worth. Hope had to have more or she was going to turn to a pile of cinders.
“Please.” She tried to tighten her legs and press him even closer, but he had control of her legs. Why had she pushed so hard for him to take over this seduction, again? He held her wide and continuing to do whatever he wanted with her shaking body. “Kingu, please.” She was so close. “Please, just a little higher.”
He wasn’t a merciful god.
Kingu pulled back, breathing hard and looking wild.
“Shit!” Hope gave a frustrated cry and moved her empty hips trying to lure him back.
“I can’t believe how good you taste.” Kingu was so close to losing control. She could see it in the animalistic glow of his eyes and his rasping tone. He gazed down at her wet depths and swallowed. “Will you still only accept your soul mate?”
It was little more than a snarl and Hope’s whole body clenched at the masculine warning in his sound. If she kept pushing him, he was going to snap.
That made her feel… powerful.
Like she was more than just a virgin sacrifice, tied to an altar. Like she was capable of teaching this monster a thing or two about messing with Fire Phase warriors.
Her eyes went to the hard bulge at the front of his pants and then very deliberately traveled back up to his face. Oh yeah. This game wasn’t done. She was having fun.
Kingu’s muscles jolted. “Don’t, Hope.” He got out roughly. “Just… don’t.”
Hope scooted backwards so she could sit up on the bed, her hands still tied. His belt was large enough to give her plenty of slack. She knelt on the side of the mattress, feeling totally in charge of the game. Kingu was so close to breaking and she then could have everything she wanted.
He kept pressing for her capitulation. “Treasure, just tell me what I need to hear. I’ll help you finish and then I’ll just walk away. I swear.”
That was what she was afraid of. Her tongue licked her lower lip, her attention still locked on his pants. How was she gonna get those off with her wrists bond?
“Damn it! Just admit that you at least want me and we’ll end this torture!”
Hope looked up at his stark face and gave a slow, sultry smile. Hope had a nice smile. Everyone always said so. With two matching dimples and a lot of sparkling mischief.
“I want my soul mate.” She said very clearly and almost chortled with glee as his expression went taunt.
Woo-hoo! Go team Fire House.
Kingu’s pupils dilated, his eyes riveted on her feline grin. His hands went down to the waistband of his pants, his attention never leaving her lips. “You have no idea what you’ve just done.” Kingu’s clothes were gone in less than a heartbeat and he was stepping closer to her. His fingers tangled in her blonde curls, tugging her face closer to his straining erection. “Open your mouth.”
Oh God yes. Hope obediently parted her lips for him and then moaned at the clean, male taste.
“Hope! Oh shit.” He rocked forward, nearly out of his mind with pleasure at the first lick. “Again. Please. More.”
This is what she’d wanted. Kingu as wild as she was. Her tongue suckled him, learning his shape. She clearly had a heretofore untapped skill at seduction because, even tied-up, she’d gotten a god’s pants off just fine.
Another point for the little Fire Phase.
“Oh, yes. Yes, treasure. Just like that.” His eyes stayed fixed on her face, his chest heaving. “I wanted that smile. You have no idea how much I wanted it. Seeing it wrapped around me is like a gods damn dream.”
The Fire House Wednesday night dirty movie tradition was clearly not the depraved waste of time Teja always claimed. Kingu was loving the real world skills good old human pornography taught its faithful viewers.
Kingu’s eyes stayed fixed on her face as he tried to keep himself in check. He looked enraptured. “Every dream I’ve ever had has been about you. A thousand years before you were even born, I was dreaming of you.” Hands slid through her hair, like he was trying to absorb the feel of it right through his skin. “Before I knew your name or the color your eyes.” He gave a sound of total blissful surrender as her teeth scrapped along his skin. “Back when it would have been so
much easier to just give up and surrender everything I am, dreaming about you kept me alive. Everything I am is you.”
Kingu absolutely had a soul… he’d just handed it right to her.
Hope eased back from him, almost smiling at the agonized sound he made when she stopped. “I want something else, now.” Her whole body felt hot and needy. “Will you give it to me?”
“Yes.” The word was simple and bare and absolute.
“Tell me you love me.”
He hesitated, glancing away. Then, his jaw tightened and he looked back at her, meeting her eyes squarely. “I love you.” He said it like he was braced for her laughter and determined to say it anyway. “You are my one, Hope. My only one. The love I have for you is beyond all boundaries.”
Hope kept her expression grave even as she mentally cheered. It wasn’t surprising news, but it was still really, really wonderful to hear. “Are you sure?”
Now, he looked annoyed. “You know that I am. I have been very clear.”
“Yes, I know it.” She whispered back. “I just wanted to be sure you know it, too.”
“Of course, I know it. You are the one who turns everything around and refuses to listen and dreams of another fucking man! I understand what’s happening here far better than you do, it seems.”
“Well, then explain something to me: No one can love without a soul, Kingu, so how is it that you’re able to love me so much that I can feel it every time you look at me.”
He blinked, looking suddenly disorientated. He didn’t have an answer for her.
Satisfied she’d planted the seed and he’d figure out the rest of that riddle, Hope leaned down and slid him into her eager mouth as deep as he could go. If he wouldn’t listen to her promises and assurances, maybe he’d listen to his own brain and something more… primal. The deepest parts of Kingu recognized her. It was all the damage his mother had done keeping him from admitting they could have something even more.
Treasure of the Fire Kingdom (The Elemental Phases Book 4) Page 30
